QMS & EMS London

Global warming can still be limited to 2°C in 2100, but only if action is taken now to cut energy use and decarbonise electricity, say scientists. In the third part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) fifth assessment report, scientists argue that it remains possible and cost-effective to reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to levels that are likely to limit temperature rise to 2°C at the end of the century.

Defra’s drive to cut ‘red tape’ and streamline guidance is already saving UK businesses £185 million a year, says government. The environment department has published its final plans for improving environment regulation, predicting that the reforms will now save companies £1.5 billion over the next five years, 50% more than environment secretary announced a year ago. In Defra: Better for business, the environment department outlines all of the 336 reforms resulting from the government’s red tape challenge, what has been achieved so far and a timetable for further changes. It states that 20% of proposed regulatory changes – scrapping, consolidating and “improving” environmental legislation – have already been made, saving firms a total of £185 million a year. A further 55% of the reforms are predicted to be completed by the end of the coalition’s parliamentary term, including amending the Producer Responsibility Regulations to exempt more small businesses and...

Electrically powered medical equipment will soon be subject to the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive 2011/65/EU.

Harmonisation achievements in the Quality area include pivotal milestones such as the conduct of stability studies, defining relevant thresholds for impurities testing and a more flexible approach to pharmaceutical quality based on Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) risk management.

IEMA's latest update on environmental impact assessment (EIA) practice including new online practice guidance for English planning authorities In March, the European parliament voted in favour of amendments to the revised EIA Directive (see pp.16–18). The final step is a vote by the council of ministers, which is expected this month. Under the timeframe agreed by MEPs and the European commission, member states have until spring 2017 to implement the revisions. If you missed the IEMA webinar on 18 March, which analysed the main changes to Directive 2011/92/EU, catch up at iema.net.

In all likelihood, your company has already encountered difficulties harmonizing quality management systems (QMS) with product life cycle management (PLM) systems. Synergies between engineering, manufacturing, supply chain management, and service will not materialize on their own—even in a closed-loop QMS. Part one of this three-part series describes how integrating the QMS and PLM can improve quality management processes throughout the enterprise.

When it comes to quality management, there is a set of tools often used for managing common business processes, regardless of industry. Chances are you're already familiar with how processes such as document control, audits, and corrective action work. The issue facing many companies is not how to manage these processes but how to streamline them to make them more efficient and effective in solving quality challenges. This article is the first in a six-part series that will discuss typical business challenges and the corresponding quality management solutions that can help alleviate them. Here we will focus on one of these solutions, corrective action, and the best way to use it to manage adverse events.